Woodward Children’s Center was named for Luther E. Woodward, a pioneer in the field of children’s mental health. He was born in 1897 and died in 1961. Dr. Woodward earned a Ph.D. in education from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. With further graduate study he completed the requirements for graduation from the New York School of Social Work, and established himself in the profession of psychiatric social work.

Dr. Woodward began his professional career as a Lutheran minister. He had received both an A.M. degree and a B.D. degree from Gettysburg Theological Seminary. Prior to his formal training in social work during his eight years as a pastor in Brooklyn, NY from 1924 – 1932, he worked with the varied problems of his parishioners and he began to see the impact of disturbed relationships between people and determined to seek effective and understanding ways of dealing with them. He began to provide individual counseling related to parent-child relationships. In 1932, Dr. Woodward joined the clinical staff of the Bureau of Child Guidance of New York City. There he quickly saw the limitations of a case-work approach in working with children and the need for a deepening insight on the part of all those who touch the lives of troubled children. This led Dr. Woodward to begin educating teachers, nurses, and community agencies. He developed and led discussion groups for parents.

In 1943, the National Committee for Mental Hygiene sought Dr. Woodward’s services. Until 1949 Dr. Woodward worked on mental health problems resulting from the war and the readjustment of servicemen after the war’s end. When he left this position he joined the (now) New York State Office of Mental Health where he became the Senior Community Mental Health Representative.

Dr. Woodward wrote a number of articles on social work and vocational rehabilitation. He edited several professional journals. He hosted a radio program for parents and through the program educated parents on child development and the means of laying mental health foundations in the years of childhood. These programs were reproduced on records and broadcast on over two hundred radio stations across the country.

Dr. Woodward was Parent Education Consultant for the Visiting Nurse Services of New York. In this role he conducted parent-training groups for expectant parents. Dr. Woodward was sought nationally for his expertise.

Woodward Children’s Center honors Dr. Woodward and carries out his dedication to the idea that all those who touch the lives of children must have deepened insight to the needs of both the child and the parents. The parent has always been a key part of the treatment team at Woodward Children’s Center and it is strongly believed that a parent who is fully informed and aware will significantly increase the child’s ability to grow emotionally.